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Introduction: The relationship between pancreatitis and dyslipidaemia is unclear and has never been studied in a South African context. Patients and methods: A prospective evaluation of all admissions with acute pancreatitis to a regional hospital general surgical service was performed to ascertain its relationship to dyslipidaemia. Aetiology was determined by history and ultrasound assessment. Disease severity was assessed using a modified Imrie score and an organ failure score. Body mass index was calculated. A lipid profile was obtained. Abnormal profiles were repeated. Secondary causes of dyslipidaemia were noted. A comparison of the demographic profile, aetiology, disease severity scores, complications and deaths were made in relationship to the lipid profiles. Results: From June 2001 to May 2005, there were 230 admissions, of whom 31% were women and 69% men. The median age was 38 years(range 13- 73). The pancreatitis was associated with alcohol in 146(63%), gallstones in 42(19%) and idiopathic in 27(12%). The amylase was significantly higher with a gallstone aetiology (p / Thesis (MMedSc)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

BACKGROUND. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is one of the commonest endocrinopathies in women of reproductive age. The prevalence of the disease is estimated to be around 5 % in general population (Azziz, 2004). Literature on the prevalence of PCOS in Black women is limited (Knochenhauer, 1998). This syndrome is a diagnostic conundrum due to the phenotypic variability of these women. The PCOS woman also has a greater disposition for impaired glucose homeostasis as well as hyperlipidaemia. OBJECTIVE. The hormonal and metabolic profiles of South African women with PCOS have not been described. Ethnic differences in the prevalence of PCOS have also not been well explored. Our study aims to describe and compare the phenotypic profile of African and Indian women with PCOS and to determine the frequency of insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia in these women. METHODS. A retrospective audit of all patients attending gynaecology endocrine and infertility clinics over the period June 2005 to June 2009 was carried out. The biochemical and clinical profiles were analysed and a comparative analysis between the two largest groups, Indian and Black women were done. All women that attended these clinics were subjected to a fasting lipogram and fasting serum glucose. An abnormal fasting serum glucose would have necessitated a full glucose tolerance test. RESULTS. A total of 110 patients were analysed in this study. There were 87 Indian patients, 16 Black patients, 5 Coloured patients and 2 White patients. Eighty nine percent of PCOS women studied had an increased body mass index (>25). There was an increased LH:FSH in 66 (75.9%) of Indian women and 13 (81.3%) of Black women. Increased androgens were present in 26 (30.2%) in Indian women and 6 (37.5%) of Black women. An increase in fasting insulin was found in 48 (55.2%) of the Indian women and 5 (31.3%) of the Black women. Twenty five (29.1%) Indian women had an increase in fasting serum glucose compared to 1 (6.3%) in Black women. In the Indian population, 13 (14.9%) were found to have Diabetes Mellitus, and 9 (10.3%) had an impaired glucose tolerance test. In the Black population only 1 patient had impaired glucose tolerance. There were no Black patients with Diabetes Mellitus. No Black women were found to have hyperlipidaemia, however 12 (14.3%) Indian women were affected. None of these differences between the races were statistically significant. The major limitation of the study was the sample size of Black women. This is an ongoing study, and aims to recruit more Black women. This will be able to adequately address the correct perspective regarding the metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities in these women. CONCLUSION. The prevalence of insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia in local women with PCOS was 50.9%.and 11.3% respectively. Menstrual irregularities and infertility are the most frequent presenting complaints of women with PCOS. Features of hyperandrogenism are not common presenting complaints in South African women. There are no differences in the hormonal and clinical profile of South African Indian and Black women with PCOS, however, there is a trend toward Indian women having a greater prevalence of glucose abnormalities than Black women. We recommend further studies in the management of the metabolic abnormalities in local women with PCOS, in an attempt to develop a protocol to manage the metabolic complexities of PCOS. / Thesis (M.Med)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Oxidative processes play important role in cell physiology and pathology as well. Balance of these processes is supplied by cooperating antioxidative systems; function of antioxidant defense systems depens on high levels of antioxidants in organism. Presented work is focused on developement and optimization of methods for analysis of important enzyme and non-enzyme antioxidants as well as total antioxidant capacity of selected types of biological material. Extractions and analyses of vitamin E, carotenoids, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and lipoxygenase in barley and malt were optimized. RP-HPLC and HPLC/ESI-MS were used for analysis of vitamin E, phenolic and carotenoid content, spectrophotometry was used for enzymes activity analysis. A new methods for catalase and lipoxygenase activities were developed and compared with direct UV methods. Superoxide dismutase activity was determined by commercial diagnostic kit. A colorimetric method was used for peroxidase activity determination. Some kinetic parameters of enzymes were provided too. Optimized methods were used in the analyses of antioxidants in plant material - in barley and malt - in sets of samples of 6 varieties cultivated in four different locations for two years. Content of individual antioxidants differed depending on the variety, but usually were not found significant differences in the levels, depending on growing location. Perhaps climatic conditions have the greatest influence on levels of low molecular weight and enzymatic antioxidants at the specific location; oxidation processes are influenced both the quantity of moisture, both by sunlight, which induces oxidative processes in cultivated plants. The activity of antioxidants in barley caryopses is rapidly increasing during the malting process; an elevated temperature and moistness first induces activation the enzyme systems including antioxidant. In caryopsis is metabolic activity increased during which we can expect an increased production of radicals; for this purpose can antioxidant systems be activated that protect cells from damage by oxidative stress. In the second part of work optimized methods were applied in two clinical trials focused on study of the influence of exogenous antioxidants intake on metabolic and antioxidant status in human organism. In the first clinical study influence of food supplement containing polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E on metabolism of hyperlipidaemics was evaluated. After 3-month supplemenation a lipid profile was improved and serum antioxidant levels increased. The second experiment was focused on enzyme and non-enzyme antioxidant levels in healthy subjects after temporarily intake of specific foods rich in antioxidants. After two-month intake plasma phenolic substances were slightly increased. Total antioxidant capacity and activities of enzyme antioxidants were not affected. Results of both clinical exeriments showed that supplying of antioxidants in natural form or in the form of food supplements does not markedly affect metabolism of healthy subjects, while in patients with chronic diseases antioxidant supplementation can positively influence metabolic status. Results of this work showed that optimized methods are suitable for analyses of antioxidant status parameters and also for monitoring of exogenous antioxidant intake.